Spring Awakening

Despite the closure of their original performance space less than a week before opening night I was delighted when a new venue was secured at short notice allowing the production to go ahead. 

Spring Awakening is set in late 19th-century Germany and explores the turbulent journey from adolescence to adulthood. Based on the 1891 play by Frank Wedekind, the story follows a group of teenagers struggling with sexual awakening, repression, and the rigid moral codes imposed by their parents and teachers.

At the centre are Melchior, an intellectually curious and sceptical student; Wendla, a naïve and sheltered girl desperate to understand her changing body; and Moritz, Melchior’s anxious best friend, who feels crushed by academic and societal pressures. As the adults refuse to provide honest guidance about sex and emotional growth, the teenagers are left to navigate confusion and desire on their own leading to tragic consequences.

Given the subject matter of the show and the intimate nature of the venue the performances by the full cast were outstanding. The range of emotions required was a real challenge and the cast dealt with these and the storyline with conviction and sensitivity ensuring the audience never felt uncomfortable.

A simple set and costuming backed by a small well-balanced band allowed the individual stories of each character to be the stars of the production. Whilst the show does centre around the three main characters it is very much an ensemble piece and the cast of 14 had clearly worked hard to create well developed believable characters. The well thought out direction allowed the show to follow and provided clarity in the narrative. This was a production with no weak links.

My congratulations to the production team and cast for delivering a most thought-provoking piece of theatre and for taking a risk presenting a relatively unknown show – this was a risk worth taking and one that paid off as was evident by the audience reaction at the end of the performance.

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